There were two men of the same
name at Laodicea in Syria, a father and son: their name was
Apollinaris; the former of them was a presbyter, and the latter a
reader in that church. Both taught Greek literature, the father
grammar, and the son rhetoric. The father was a native of Alexandria,
and at first taught at Berytus, but afterwards removed to Laodicea,
where he married, and the younger Apollinaris was born. They were
contemporaries of Epiphanius the sophist, and being true friends they
became intimate with him; but Theodotus bishop of Laodicea, fearing
that such communication should pervert their principles, and lead them
into paganism, forbade their associating with him: they, however, paid
but little attention to this prohibition, their familiarity with
Epiphanius being still continued. George, the successor of Theodotus,
also endeavored to prevent their conversing with Epiphanius; but not
being able in any way to persuade them on this point, he excommunicated
them. The younger Apolli75naris
regarding this severe procedure as an act of injustice, and relying on
the resources of his rhetorical sophistry, originated a new heresy,
which was named after its inventor, and still has many supporters.
Nevertheless some affirm that it was not for the reason above assigned
that they dissented from George, but because they saw the unsettledness
and inconsistency of his profession of faith; since he sometimes
maintained that the Son is like the Father, in accordance with what had
been determined in the Synod at Seleucia, and at other times
countenanced the Arian view. They therefore made this a pretext for
separation from him: but as no one followed their example, they
introduced a new form of doctrine, and at first they asserted that in
the economy of the incarnation, God the Word assumed a human body
without a soul. Afterwards, as if changing mind, they retracted,
admitting that he took a soul indeed, but that it was an irrational
one, God the Word himself being in the place of a mind. Those who
followed them and bear their name at this day affirm that this is their
only point of distinction [from the Catholics]; for they recognize the
consubstantiality of the persons in the Trinity. But we will make
further mention of the two Apollinares in the proper place.456456 III. 16.